Bio-Cremation facility in Smiths Falls has license suspended

The equipment used in the process, as seen in this picture from the company's Facebook page

The operating license for a Smith Falls bio-cremation company that offers what it calls an eco-friendly alternative to flame-based cremation or casket burials has been suspended.

The Bereavement Authority of Ontario suspended the licence for Hilton's Aquagreen Dispositions on Wednesday, January, 24th.

A statement from the authority says in part: “The immediate suspension is believed to be in the public interest. The past conduct of the licensee and interested persons are believed to be inconsistent with the legal criteria for continued licensure."

A spokesperson with the Bereavement Authority, Carey Smith, told the CBC that because there's no casket involved in the process (the body is placed in a pressurized stainless steel chamber, pictured) a funeral director must handle the process. The authority believes the company didn’t always have a funeral director present during cremations.

At the same time, Smith said the authority has received no reports that bodies were handled inappropriately.